Looking for bumper part ...

Hi Everyone

Where would I find the part shown in the following photo:

www.shearer.ca/Images/v70bumper.jpg

Notice the one on the driver-side ... it's intact, but the passenger's
side is missing.

I'm not sure what this small grill (which fills the hole for the
optional fog-lights) is called, so I don't know how to search for it.

Any input/direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Allan

 

Looks like the tow hitch cover, at least in the case of the 700 series it's
a dealer-only part.

 

Thanks James

At least now I know how to describe it when I'm searching for it.

Thanks again,

Allan


.... and James Sweet spake, saying:

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

According to my parts list, it's described as "Grille without foglight"

The Volvo part numbers are: 9151509 (RH) or 9151511 (LH)

I assume that right & left are when facing in the direction of travel - so
it's a right-hand one which you need.

 

Ah, thank-you! The light gets brighter.

Yours,

Allan


.... and Bonnet Lock spake, saying:

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

I was wondering if I can add the foglights that would normally go here, my
car came with the plastic covers that do not have the lights.
Should I expect the wire harness to be there?
What else would be needed to add, a switch on the dash?

To anyone who has these are they any good as far as light output and
pattern goes?

Thanks for replies to the group

 

snip

For some models a kit is available from Volvo including lights,
wires and switch. Also some if not all require the car to be
"programmed" by a dealer to operate the lights. The switch does
not directly control the lights, the computer does!

--reed

 

....missing a similar piece on my s60, I asked the dealer how much for him to
install the optional Volvo foglight lights. His answer was 500 US. I settled
on replacing the plastic filler( no giveaway either at 25 bucks or so!)

 

I am having a hard time understanding why this could some how be
desirable. A switch to turn on a light seems so simple. Why would
anyone want a computer in between something as simple as this is
beyond logic to me.
Anyone have any thoughts on this as to the why to have a computer
baby sit a fog light?

 

Nearly everything in a Volvo is actually computer controlled
(so-called "fly by wire"). In the case of lights, it can detect a
blown bulb and then display a warning message. About the only
actions not controlled are steering and "normal" braking. Even
those may change in future models with all the anti-skid,
anti-roll, anti-this&that they are building into new Volvos (and
other makes).

 

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,

Not sure about front fog lamps - but rear fog lamps need some logic to stop
them being used accidentally. A few years ago, this would have used a
latching relay and momentary switch - but it's probably cheaper now to let
the computer do it.

The idea is that you should only be able to switch on the rear fog lamps
when the ignition and headlamps are on. Having done so, if you switch the
ignition and/or headlamps off and back on, the fog lamps should *not* come
on again without the switch being operated again.

 

Similarly (I think) ... for the front foglights, they too turn OFF when
the high-beams are turned ON - and then back ON again when the
high-beams turned OFF. At least, this is how they work in my 740 (I
don't *yet* have front fog lights in my V70).

So, I would think that the front fog lights are wired through a little
more logic controls that simply a straight run from the main switch.

I suspect if I buy an OEM/Volvo fog-light kit that they'll have the
complete wiring and instructions to get the setup to work as Volvo
intended - no?

Allan


.... and Bonnet Lock spake, saying:

 

Why not, it's babysitting all the other lamps, not to mention a
lot of other stuff.

This is an ease-of-manufacture issue. From a manufacturing viewpoint,
it's much easier to run a fat power wire and a skinny network wire to
each point where there's a device (i.e., light bulb) to control. Or,
a cluster of devices... This allows having a single connector with two
or three contacts to connect a light assembly having multiple devices,
like a tail light, turn signal, backup light, and brake light.

The cost savings of not having to run all those individual wires in
a harness, not to mention the easier dealer maintenance with so much
less wiring to trace/troubleshoot, saves tons of labor--it takes
less time to run one two-wire cable to several points, just plugging
in one small connector at each of those points.

The largest component of manufacturing costs is labor; labor cost is
directly related to time; reduce the time required, even with the
tradeoff of higher material prices, and the savings can be huge.

Since the control modules can be dirt cheap in volume (although not
necessarily at the dealer parts counter), it's trivial to add in
sensors (bulb out, temperature, etc.) and adding a device to a circuit
is as simple as crimping another little connector to the cable.

Modern cars are networks.


Gary

 

Two other advantages:

The wiring harness is lighter, less weight equals better mileage and
performance. Copper is expensive, less is obviously cheaper.
And then you have to go back to the dealer and let them work on your car
- very few independent garages can afford the cost of the equipment
necessary to do this work, and in any case the software is only
available direct from Volvo.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)